Evolution Of Dawn

Five: Trapped

I arrived at the northern border tired and hungry, the blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. I navigate through the sunlit forest keeping my tired eyes on the lookout for anything out of place other than me.

The event of the past day has been playing on my mind nonstop, "the crazy mutt that bit me". My wolf has been quiet throughout the run, I don't know if that's because she's trying to focus on getting us to safety, or maybe she also felt the whirlwind of emotions that have been battling since the attack.

I walked the length of the forest sniffing and looking for leftover meat from some wild animals, I'm famished and too exhausted to hunt for any food of my own.

My mind drifted back to the male again, and I felt the same excitement coursing through my veins, my heart beat quickened, and I immediately abandoned the thoughts that accompany it.

I walked through the oak-brown and primitive thick forest, It reeked of age. Its woody incense was from centuries of snapping branches crashing to the forest's floor and rotting silently. The composting, organic smell rose in waves like a miasma. Every sprawling tree I passed under reminded me of a watchful guardian, a silent sentinel of the groves.

I decided to venture deeper into the tangled heart of this primeval forest. I hoped that it would reveal its secrets to me. I arrived at a wide glade, where the trees fell away, revealing the clear blue sky.

I walked around admiring the beautifully serene, I was so occupied with the enchanting forest around me that I didn't pay attention to where I was going until I was halfway into the trees in a net trap.

"A trap", I panicked biting and clawing at it to set myself free from its hold, after struggling for hours with no way out I gave up.

My mind drifted back to the male who claimed to be my mate again before I finally fell into a peaceful slumber.

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I woke up to the voices of males, I opened my eyes trying to see what was going on, the slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange glow to the forest.

Two black wolves and two males stood below me under the tree, the males were discussing. they're both dressed in a short kilt and shirt with moccasins leather shoes.

"She smelt like a rogue and a bit of something else like rose and pine, I'm not sure but she looks harmless". We haven't had any rogue visit this area for over ten years, "do you know where she's from"?, The male to my right asked.

"No Beta, I have no idea, we were patrolling the perimeter and saw her caught up in the trap", the other male replied pointing upward.

"Beta", the title ring a bell, even though I know nothing about the shapeshifters pack, my father has done a great job in teaching me about the pack's hierarchy. Alpha, a dominant male and leader of a pack, Beta is the second dominant male and second in hierarchy status, followed by the Gamma, and Head warrior.

I looked down at the two bulky males and the wolves beside them, and realization dawned on me "shapeshifters", I'm in a shapeshifter's pack, I'm safe, I have found a pack, a home.

"I yelp", letting them know I'm awake.

"bring down the trap", I heard the Beta say.

I was dropped slowly to the ground, surrounded by the males and wolves as I get myself untangled and out of the trap.

I look at the males, something about their sizes just looks familiar but I can't place my hold on it.

"Where are you from female", the Beta asked looking at me suspiciously.

I tried to link him, so I can talk in his head but it's not working, "was it because he's a Beta"?, I tried linking the others, wolves included but I still can't get through to them.

"You need to talk female, where are you from", he repeated.

At this point, I figured the only way I can talk to him is to shift form to two legs, which I'm not ready to do. So I stood there looking at them and inwardly prayed to the goddess they understands my unspoken words.

"Female where are you from and what are you doing here, why are you alone", the Beta asked, scanning the surroundings with his keen eyes.

I don't know how to reply to him without shifting so I stayed there looking at him warily.

"Female you need to shift to answer my questions, if not I am forced to lock you up, do you hear me?", he asks.

"Tell him we aren't deaf, and they are the dangerous ones here not us, why threatening to lock us up?" my wolf said with annoyance.

"We need to shift to do all that talking bullhead", I replied to her with a snort.

Because he threatened to lock me up if I didn't speak, I believe I haven't gotten a place to call home yet, not ready to shift and talk I turned around about to leave their pack, but I was stopped before I could take more than two steps.

"Take her to the dungeon and lock her up until the Alpha returns, and don't pass through the village, I don't want any commotion", the Beta said turning away.

The two wolves shifted forms and approached me with a net trap, I growled at them, warning them to back off, but they moved closer crowding me. My haunches raised, ready to defend myself against them, but before I can make a move the net was thrown over me.

I was carried into the pack land like a pail of water, the net was twisted into two long sticks and held on each end, we pass a few other guards patrolling the area, and they watched as I was carried through the forest toward a turtle mountain.

They throw me into a dark cold room, caved out of stones with haggard ground and no window, it smells of flesh, blood, urine, sweat, and spits, I scanned the dark room realizing I'm the only occupant, I moved to a corner and lay down waiting for sleep to claim me.